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Understanding Quarantine and Isolation

Fact sheet: defines isolation and quarantine; lists the communicable diseases for which federal isolation and quarantine are authorized by Executive Order; describes the authorities of federal, state, local, and tribal laws; defines who is in charge, CDC's role, and enforcement measures.

These fact sheets were developed through a cooperative agreement between CDC and the American Red Cross. (On the CDC Emergency Preparedness & Response site)

Travel Restriction and Intervention Activities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, has implemented Federal travel restriction procedures to protect travelers and the public from communicable diseases that constitute a public health threat.

At the request of CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, persons who have a communicable disease constituting a public health threat, in addition to meeting specified criteria may be placed on the Do Not Board list and issued a Border Lookout, enforced by the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection, respectively.

Quarantine and Isolation in Perspective

Brief article describes how the concept of quarantine grew from a 14th century effort to protect coastal cities from plague epidemics up to the present state of the quarantine system in our nation today.